I saw and read last Friday where a student showed up at a Middle School in Oklahoma City with a weapon and fired it in the bathroom of the facility.
Thank goodness no one was injured, but the school was on a lockdown for awhile.
When it happened it had to be a scary situation for the students, staff and administrators who were in the building at that time and of concern to law enforcement authorities. Also, for the parents who began to learn of the incident.
Then last Friday evening, there was an enhanced law enforcement at Harrah High School because of some threat made on social media during the McLoud versus Harrah basketball game.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised anymore when I see, hear and or read about these situations. Unfortunately, they continue to occur almost every day.
Sure, I realize that it’s been several decades since I was in elementary, middle and high school, but in those times we simply didn’t have such occurrences. It’s difficult for me to fathom they are happening now.
Not that I would have ever considered taking any kind of weapon to school, but had I done so and my late father had found out about it, which he would, I most assuredly would have had trouble sitting down for a week or so.
He was all about discipline. My parents always expected me to be respectful and act responsibly at school.
Dad’s the one who taught me how to use and shoot guns and the reason we had them in the house was for hunting and for protection. They weren’t for taking to school and shooting them off.
In fact, we never had a pistol when I was growing up, only shotguns and maybe a rifle.
Realizing we’ve seen other instances of weapons being taking on campuses this school year and at sporting events, and some of the tragedies that have taken place, I don’t understand the mentality of students who do these kinds of acts. Maybe it’s because I personally haven’t had to experience it for which I am so grateful.
I can’t help but attribute at least part of it though to parenting, having an open dialogue with their children, setting a good example and talking about the dangers of weapons, especially guns.
Somehow, it’s too easy for those who are perpetrating these kinds of crimes to get their hands on guns. The answer isn’t gun control, it’s the parents being more responsible for their children’s actions and knowing what they are doing.
I am really concerned about the violence happening in our schools today. It’s time for parents closely working with school administrators, law enforcement and other officials to come up with solutions to all of this.
If not, it’s only going to continue to get worse.